Arousal medications in the works for women?

Question fromWebsite Question:
Any word on a women's Viagra? Really, is there anything ER/PR+ women can take? Is anyone looking into it? My oncologist just shakes his head; meanwhile my sex life is about dead.

Answers -Su Kenderdine
Viagra has not proved effective for women. It failed as an arousal drug for women, and I don't know of any medication on the market now.

Marisa Weiss, M.D.
If you're a woman, it's difficult to watch the Super Bowl and see how many erectile dysfunction drugs are on the market for men, yet the pharmaceutical companies have not found at least one effective medication for women. For sure, we want primetime Super Bowl action also. There are two sex specialists, Berman and Berman who practice at UCLA, who are seriously studying several preparations that help increase blood flow to the clitoris and vagina and, in turn, increase sexual arousal.

We definitely need more attention in this area. You know that the clitoris is similar to the penis in its embryologic origin. This means that the penis and the clitoris come from the same type of tissue. When you are sexually aroused, your clitoris becomes erect just like the penis does. So I think it's hopeful that a medication one day that helps with erections for men may also help with arousal and erections for women.

Su Kenderdine
In the 60s, we felt that marijuana would increase one's sensual awareness and allow sensation to be much more powerful, and we felt that would lead to sex more readily. These were not controlled experiments, but it's certain that some places and cultures feel that has value. It may not really increase libido, but makes touch much more intense, and sexuality is heightened and can help to bring on arousal.

Marisa Weiss, M.D.
Marijuana is not legal in the U.S. But researchers are looking at ways to use the chemicals in marijuana for medical treatment, which may become legal if they're proven to be effective.

On Wednesday, May 19, 2004, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Sleep or Sex? You Can Have Both!Su Carroll Kenderdine, M.D. and Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about how to maintain sexual intimacy during and after treatment, what to do for loss of libido and vaginal dryness, ways to reduce the fatigue related to breast cancer, and more.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of Breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.